The ISU athletic department’s decision to change all former public parking around Jack Trice stadium into reserved parking for members of the National Cyclone Club is misguided and an act of treason against ISU students.

Iowa State has always been known for having a great student tailgating tradition. Tailgating is meant to be a celebration, and allowing students to use the lots close to the stadium to do that has created a wonderful atmosphere of school spirit, one which isn’t duplicated at most schools. Taking this opportunity away from students isn’t something to be taken lightly.

But making sweeping changes such as this one during the summer months, while a majority of students aren’t in Ames to protest it themselves, is a show of cowardice from university officials. Surely such a striking blow to student tradition should be done with the input of all students.

Thomas Hill, vice president of student affairs, emphasized five issues at Monday’s public forum meeting which the university is considering while readjusting the pre-game parking: university image, complaints, security issues, liability concerns and student safety.

However, none of these issues have any real bearing on student tailgating as we have known it.

Keeping up the university’s image isn’t a problem — since when has it become a bad thing for students to congregate and support their team by showing school spirit in the parking lots and in the stands? Students at every school do that, and complaints about “rowdy behavior” at football are few and far between. True, there are a few students who do cause problems, but that’s what DPS is there for. Moving these students away from the general tailgating population will only give the police and DPS more work to do.

Also, moving students farther away from the stadium will do nothing to improve their safety or the safety of anyone else. By forcing students to travel longer distances under the influence of their “wild and crazy” pre-game activities, they are more at risk of getting injured, increasing the university’s liability. If the Department of Homeland Security has gotten Iowa State worried about providing a “buffer level” of security around the stadium, then they shouldn’t allow anyone to park near it. Just because someone is a member of the Cyclone Club doesn’t mean they’re not a security threat — anyone can carry a bomb or drink a beer.

Students play on the football team that brings in money, and students are there to cheer them on. Students are what the Cyclone tradition is built upon — they are future alumni and future members of the Cyclone Club. The university should be here to serve its students, not the other way around. Iowa State needs to give back to students the tailgating tradition that is rightfully theirs — near the stadium.